The home has not been officially inspected yet, but during a telephone conversation with Boyle County Health Department Director Roger Trent, Smith said she described the environment to him. Trent told her it sounded as if the home would not be fit for a child after receiving leukemia treatment.
She added she's afraid that an official inspection will condemn the house and the family will get split up. This is especially tough, she said, because the Gonzalez family has other children. Juanito, 10-year-old Candy and 9-year-old Lupita all attend Danville schools.
"Please help," Candy said. "We're very desperate."
A fourth child, newborn Emily, was delivered only a few days ago at the UK hospital. Both Juanito and his mother have been at UK together for their respective medical attention.
The silver lining to this, Smith said, is baby Emily's umbilical cord blood is being harvested and saved in case Juanito needs a bone marrow transplant later.
"I have to applaud the doctors at UK," Smith said. "They made sure (the mother) could have the baby at UK. She had a cesarean scheduled at Danville. They worked hard to get the paperwork together for the cord blood."
Because Juanito's mother is not able to get back into the workforce immediately and his father works for a little more than minimum wage, Smith said the leukemia bombshell is adding a financial burden on top of the fear they will have no place for Juanito to go.
Smith said she hopes to find the Gonzalezes a safe environment for a few years through the help of donations.
"There may be someone out there who can give them an apartment," she said. "We still believe in miracles."
They hope to put the family in a better situation so Juanito's mother does not have to rush back to work with a new baby and Juanito's condition.
"I'm sure they are not going to want this little boy back in daycare," Smith said. "Mom can stay home with her baby and worry about the health of her child, and not money."
An account was opened Friday for Juanito and his family at Farmer's National Bank under Juan Antonio Gonzalez. For more information, call Smith at (859) 236-4850.
